Australia defeated top-ranked side England by 64 runs at Lord’s on Tuesday to make the final four of the Cricket World Cup.
Australia became the first team into the semi-finals after successfully defending its total of 7-285 and bowling out England for 221 with 5.2 overs to spare.
Inspired recalled player Jason Behrendorff claimed a maiden* five-wicket haul for the Aussies while fellow left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc grabbed four to lead the tournament wicket-takers list with 19.
“You don’t win the tournament if you don’t reach the semis. That’s the first bit ticked off,” said Australia captain Aaron Finch, who led the effort with 100 runs, his second century of this World Cup.
The decision at the toss was vital. England Captain Eoin Morgan won it and made Australia bat first.
“I would have bowled had I won the toss but I prefer batting first,” Finch said. “Getting runs on the board means a lot in the World Cup.”.
Finch and David Warner started well for Australia and confidently posted their third century stand* of the tournament.
Finch also shared 50 with Usman Khawaja then reached his 15th one-day international hundred, and seventh against England, only to depart on the next ball.
Steve Smith was loudly booed walking to the crease and walking out when he was dismissed for 38 before Australia finished at 7-285.
Finch pulled out another ace, however, when the Aussies took the field.
He gave the new ball to Behrendorff, who was hammered by Sri Lanka in his only World Cup appearance but was picked for the conditions at Lord’s and made the ball swing and sing.
He bowled James Vince’s middle stump on the second ball of the innings with an in-swinger*, and by the time Jonny Bairstow gave him his second wicket, England was 53-4 and its low confidence was battered again.
Starc removed Joe Root on 8 and Morgan on 4.
England’s Ben Stokes resisted alone with 89 runs despite suffering cramps in both calves, but he could only watch as his batting partners threw away their wickets. He was sixth man out to a Starc yorker* in the 37th over, and England lasted only eight more overs.
Australia next plays New Zealand.
GLOSSARY
- maiden: first time a feat is achieved
- stand: period of time in which two batsmen are playing together
- in-swinger: ball that swings from the off-side to the leg side of the batsman
- yorker: a ball bowled so that it pitches immediately under the bat.
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- How many wickets did Jason Behrendorff take?
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- How many overs were left in the game when Australia won?
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